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A Brief History of the Boy Scouts of America
1910 to Today
This brief history was researched and written by Scoutmaster Jeff Snowden in 1984, and has been continually updated since. It is based on considerable research (see reference list at the end) and personal experience. The history is intended to be accurate and factual, but of course will contain some personal interpretations of events. Corrections of fact are always welcome.
Contents
- World Scouting
- Scouting in the United States
Boy Scouts of America (BSA)
Camp Fire USA and Girl Scouts of the USA - BSA Programs
- Boy Scouting Division
Boy Scouts
Venture and Varsity Scouts - Cub Scouting Division
Cub Scouts
Webelos
Tiger Cubs - Venturing (Exploring) Division
Explorers & Sea Explorers
Career Awareness Explorers - Scout Uniforms
Boy Scout and Varsity/Venture Scout Uniforms
Cub Scout, Webelos, and Tiger Cubs Uniforms
Explorer Uniforms - Looking in the Crystal Ball
General Changes
Scouting in the Future - A Final Word
World Scouting
Baden-Powell
Scouting began in England in 1907-08, created by General Robert Baden-Powell. B-P, a 50-year old bachelor at the time, was one of the few heroes to come out of Britain's Boer War. He was known primarily for his unusual ideas about military scouting, explained in his book Aids to Scouting. Startled to discover that many boys were using his military book as a guide to outdoor activities, he began to think how he could convert his concepts of army scouting for men to "peace scouting" for boys. Gathering ideas from many sources (including Ernest Thompson Seton, who had founded a boys organization in the US), he tested his program on a group of boys on Brownsea Island in 1907. The island camp was successful, so B-P rewrote his military book, calling it Scouting for Boys. The climate was right for a youth program like Scouting, and it spread quickly around the British commonwealth, then to other countries.
World Scouting Today
Today, Scouting is found in 185 of the world's 192 independent countries. The United States has a single national Scouting organization (there are a number of countries, mostly in Europe, that have several separate Scout organizations, divided by religion or language, with different uniforms, advancement, and national hierarchies). Scouting is the world's most successful youth movement. [More information on international Scouting can be found on our World Scouting page.]
Scouting in the United States
Boy Scouts of America (BSA)
William Boyce. The Boy Scouts of America (which also uses the name Scouting/USA) was founded by Chicago publisher William Boyce on February 8, 1910. At that time in the US, there were several other loosely-structured outdoor-oriented youth organizations, some using the name "Boy Scout" and some using other names, and there were already a number of troops in existence using some variation of the British Scout program. Boyce's key contribution was to organize the BSA as a business. He incorporated the organization (in Washington, DC, rather than Chicago), recruited key youth professionals to design and operate the program, and he provided key funding for the infant organization.
Some of the early, non-BSA Scouting programs in the US included the US Boy Scout (founded in 1910 shortly after the BSA; see next paragraph), the Lone Scouts of America (founded in 1915 by BSA founder Boyce, who had become dissatisfied with the BSA, and created the LSA for boys living in isolated areas; the LSA merged with the BSA in the 1920s), and the Rhode Island Boy Scouts (RIBS, founded soon after the BSA in 1910, merging with the BSA in 1917, and existing today as the Narragansett Council). It is interesting that the BSA's Boys Life magazine was started by RIBS member Joseph Lane in 1911 (BSA purchased the magazine in 1912).
Early Actions. The new BSA quickly established a national office, developed a temporary handbook, sought out Baden-Powell's endorsement (which they got), and began to work to get a Congressional Charter from the US Congress (which they got in 1916). They also began an active campaign to absorb all other Scout-type youth organizations into the BSA. Indeed, only one such organization held out past 1912—publisher William Randolph Hearst's militaristic "US Boy Scout" (also called the "American Boy Scouts") organization (founded only three months after the BSA, and a member of the Order of World Scouts, a mostly British program in competition with Baden-Powell's program). Resorting to the federal courts, and aided by their Congressional Charter and testimony from Baden-Powell, the BSA obtained a favorable ruling against the "US Boy Scout" in 1919.
The Founders. Three people influenced the BSA's development more than any others: Ernest Thompson Seton, James West, and to a lesser extent, Daniel ("Uncle Dan") Beard.
Daniel Beard."Uncle Dan" Beard was beloved by millions of American Boy Scouts during his lifetime. A well-known artist and outdoorsman, he had founded a Scout-like organization called the Sons of Daniel Boone about 1905. While it had much in common with Boy Scouting, it lacked organizational structure (it was promoted through several magazines). It does not appear that Baden-Powell used any of Dan Beard's literature as he formulated his ideas for Boy Scouting.
Ernest Thompson Seton. Seton, a famous writer and artist, had founded a loosely-structure boys' program called the Woodcraft Indians around 1901-02. Seton had also visited England in 1904, where he met with Baden-Powell and gave him a copy of his manual for the Woodcraft Indians. B-P used many of Seton's ideas as he developed his Boy Scouting program. Indeed, Seton's introduction to the Original Edition of the BSA's Boy Scout Handbook makes it clear that he considered himself to be the real founder of the World Scouting movement: "In 1904, I went to England to carry on the work [of fostering a "Woodcraft and Scouting movement"] there, and, knowing General R. S. S. Baden-Powell as the chief advocate of scouting in the British Army, invited him to cooperate with me, in making the movement popular. Accordingly, in 1908 he organized his Boy Scout movement, incorporating the principles of the [Woodcraft] Indians with other ethical features bearing on savings banks, fire drills, etc., as well as by giving it a partly military organization, and a carefully compiled and fascinating book." When William Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America in 1910, Seton merged his Woodcraft Indians with the new organization and became the BSA's first Chief Scout (from 1910 to 1915).
James West. West was a Washington, DC, attorney active in juvenile cases. Recruited in 1911 as Executive Secretary, West soon changed his title to Chief Scout Executive. West created a well-organized national structure that was a key to the BSA's growth and reputation. Although he had intended to make Scouting only a temporary diversion from his legal career, West remained our Chief Scout Executive from 1911 until his retirement in 1943.
Power Struggle. Both West and Seton were strong-willed and soon found they had conflicting ideas on how Scouting should develop. Scouting Founder Seton thought of West as a simple administrator, and challenged West's authority to control the young program's development. West had the organization and power base, and forced Seton out in 1915 (and removed all of Seton's writing from the Boy Scout Handbook by the 14th printing in 1916). But Seton's contribution had been made, and American Scouting today owes much to both men.
Camp Fire USA and Girl Scouts of the USA
Girls in the US have had two options similar to Boy Scouting: Camp Fire USA (formerly called Camp Fire Girls, started in 1910), and Girl Scouts of the USA (formerly called the Girl Scouts of America, started in 1912).
Camp Fire began almost immediately after the Boy Scouts, and there was involvement by BSA founders early on, including James E. West (BSA's new Chief Scout Executive), who always regarded Camp Fire as the girls' equivalent to Boy Scouting. Originally for girls only, the program became coed in 1975. [More about Camp Fire can be found on our Scout-like Organizations page.]
The Girl Scouts was founded by Juliette Gordon "Daisy" Low in 1912, and received a Congressional Charter in 1950 (the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and 4-H are the only other congressionally chartered youth organizations, as far as we can tell). The girls' version of Scouting is called Girl Guiding in most countries, to differentiate it from the boys' program (the Boy Scout and Girl Guide movements were both founded by Baden-Powell). The Scout/Guide distinction has been lost in many countries, where boys and girls are members of coed troops. In other countries, the Boy Scout and Girl Guide programs have a common national organization, but with separate troops for Scouts and Guides. In still other countries (such as the US), the boys' and girls' programs are completely separate at all levels. Having two separate organizations in the US both using the terms "Scout" and "Scouting" has cause nearly a century of confusion for the general public and for potential monetary donors.
US Girl Scouting is divided into four age-related divisions:
- Daisy Girl Scouts (ages 5-6); formerly called Daisy Scouts
- Brownie Girl Scouts (ages 6-8); formerly called Brownies
- Junior Girl Scouts (ages 8-11)
- Studio 2B (ages 11-17); encompasses the former Cadette and Senior Girl Scout programs
The former Senior Girl Scout program had great difficulty competing for girls with the BSA's Exploring/Venturing program after Exploring became coed in 1971.
BSA Programs
The BSA divides itself into three program divisions:
- Cub Scouting (for boys in 1st through 5th Grades)
- Boy Scouting (for boys and young men aged 11 through 17)
- Venturing (formerly Exploring; for young men and young women aged 14 through 20)
Each division is further divided into two or more program sections. The program sections and the year they began are:
- Cub Scouting Division
1930—Cub Scouting (began as Cubbing; includes Webelos)
1982—Tiger Cubs - Boy Scouting Division
1910—Boy Scouting
1984—Varsity Scouting - Venturing (Exploring) Division
1912—Sea Exploring (began as Sea Scouting)
1935—Exploring (began as Senior Scouting)
1982—Career Awareness Exploring
1998—Venturing (replaces Exploring)
Boy Scouting Division
Boy Scouts
Boy Scouting was the BSA's original program, begun in 1910.
Age Range. The upper age limit for Boy Scout troops has always been 18. For almost 40 years, the entry age was 12. The BSA lowered the entry age to 11 in 1949. In 1972, the entry age was slightly lowered again, to 10-1/2 if a boy had finished Fifth Grade. In 1988, the age limit was further adjusted to allow a boy to join either at age 11, or upon completion of Fifth Grade regardless of age, or upon earning the Webelos Arrow of Light award; in 2004, this requirement was clarified to set the minimum age at 10.
Ranks. The earliest Scouts could earn only three ranks: Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class, which covered basic Scouting skills. The BSA soon added three higher ranks to recognize First Class Scouts who earned merit badges: Life (5 merit badges), Star (10 merit badges), and Eagle (21 merit badges). In 1925, Star was placed before Life (because the five points of a star could represent five merit badges). Over the years, the advancement plan has changed little in its overall structure, but specific requirements have been changed many times.
Basic Skills and Skill Awards. The first three ranks have always contained a long list of basic skills to learn. In 1972, this list was reorganized into 12 "skill awards." Each skill award was a metal belt loop that provided "instant recognition" for completing a group of related skills (the 12 awards were: Camping, Citizenship, Communications, Community Living, Conservation, Cooking, Environment, Family Living, First Aid, Hiking, Physical Fitness, Swimming). In 1989, the BSA dropped the skill awards, returning to the system used before 1972.
Merit Badges. Prior to 1972, the BSA felt that working on merit badges might distract younger Scouts from learning the basic Scout skills taught in the first three ranks. So Scouts had to be Second Class before they were allowed to earn merit badges. In 1972, the merit badge program was opened up to any Scout regardless of rank, and a certain number of merit badges was required for all ranks (including First Aid and Citizenship in the Community for First Class). In 1976, the merit badge for Tenderfoot was dropped and the number required for Second Class and First Class was reduced. In 1979, the remaining merit badge for Second Class was dropped, and the number required for First Class was reduced to one (First Aid). Finally, in 1989, the requirement to earn First Aid for First Class was dropped (First Aid is still on the Eagle list). As a result, the merit badge requirements for the ranks have come almost full circle since 1972.
Eagle Scout. The Eagle rank was established as Scouting's highest award in 1911, and the first Eagle badge was awarded in 1912. Today, well over a million boys and men have earned the Eagle badge (adults could earn Eagle until 1952). At first, Eagle recognized simply earning 21 merit badges. Later, requirements for leadership and service were added. [A comparison of the Eagle Scout requirements from 1911 to the present can be found on our Eagle Requirements page.]
Board of Review/Court of Honor. Until the early 1950s, troops were generally not allowed the authority to pass off merit badges and ranks. Rather, a Scout was reviewed for his merit badges and ranks at a district or council Court of Honor. The Scout usually received his badge the same evening. Later, as individual troops gradually took over the reviewing and presentation process, the review became separated from the Court of Honor presentation. Since awards could only be presented at Courts of Honor (usually four times a year), Scouts were forced to wait as long as three months to receive the rank or merit badge they had earned. The BSA remedied this problem in 1972 by directing troops to present badges as soon as they were earned. The Court of Honor then became a second, more formal recognition in front of parents.
SPL/PLC. Early Scoutmasters ran their troops much more directly than today's leaders, since they had no Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) and no Patrol Leader Council (PLC). The office of SPL was not created until 1919. The early SPL was usually also a Patrol Leader, who chaired the Patrol Leader Council as a SENIOR Patrol Leader. Gradually, the modern organization developed, with the SPL and Patrol Leaders meeting to plan the troop's activities, and the Scoutmaster acting as an advisor.
Older-boy Options. In an attempt to keep older boys in Scouting, the BSA has often provided a special older-boy program and older-boy patrol within the troop structure. Until the 1950s, this was typically a Sea Scout or Explorer "crew." From 1972 to 1989, it was the Leadership Corps. Since 1990, it has been Venture Scouting (high adventure theme) and Varsity Scouting (sports theme; Varsity has also existed as an optional program totally separate from a Scout troop since 1984). Many troops have additionally grouped older Scouts into some sort of "Senior" Patrol.
Adult Leaders. All troop adult leader positions have always been open to men. For over 50 years, women were excluded from troop operation except for an optional "mothers auxiliary." More recently, women were allowed to hold any troop committee position but not Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster. Finally in 1988, the BSA opened these positions to women also. As a result, all adult positions in the Boy Scouting Division (as well as in the other Divisions) are now open to both men and women.
LDS Scouting. Although many churches endorse the Scouting program, only the LDS ("Mormon") church has officially adopted Scouting as a church youth program. As a result, LDS-sponsored troops follow some requirements for membership, advancement, and activities set by the church (with BSA approval). For example, because of the requirements for a boy's progression within the church, LDS troops do not fully accept the 11-year-old Scout entry age. An LDS Scout must still be 12 before he is allowed to participate in the full troop program; 11-year-olds are placed in a special, limited-camping program (formerly called "Blazer Scouts").
Venture and Varsity Scouts
Venture and Varsity Scouting are the BSA's latest attempts to hold high-school aged young men in Scouting.
Venture Scouting. Venture Scouting is an optional high-adventure program for older Scouts within a troop, begun in 1990. It replaces the Leadership Corps, used from 1972 to 1989, which in turn replaced Senior Scouting, which in turn replaced Explorer Scouting....More recently (1998), the overall Exploring program has been overhauled and renamed Venturing. This is an optional coed program for high school and college ages young men and young women separate from a Scout troop. Older Scouts in a troop can still do "Venture" activities without belonging to a "Venturing" unit (but the terminology is sure confusing).
Varsity Scouting. Varsity Scouting is an optional sports-oriented program for older Scouts. It began in 1984 as a program totally separate from the troop. Primary impetus for the creation of Varsity Scouting came from the LDS church, which was experiencing a high dropout rate in its Explorer posts and was anxious to find a more effective way to keep its high school young men in Scouting. Although the BSA did the official development of the program, and has promoted it as a standard BSA offering, most Varsity teams today are still LDS sponsored. In 1989, the BSA made Varsity Scouting an option for older Scouts within a troop as well as within separate Varsity teams.
Varsity Terminology and Advancement. The Varsity Scout program uses sports terminology as a tool to reach its target population. Boys are members of a squad, which is part of a team led by an adult coach and a boy captain. The advancement plan is identical to the Boy Scout advancement plan, from Tenderfoot through Eagle. Team members also can earn a Varsity Scout "letter" by meeting certain requirements that primarily involve active attendance at team activities.
Last Revision to This Page: 1 May 2008
Copyright © 1996-2008 by Troop 97 BSA
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